Occupant restraint system

ABSTRACT

An occupant restraint system includes an airbag and an inflator. The front end of a gas supply pipe, which extends from the inflator housed in a rear pillar to the interior of the airbag and guides the gas generated by the inflator to the airbag, is substantially vertically aligned with front portion of a rear wheel wheelhouse of the vehicle. Since the gas supply pipe can be positioned in an area in which the vehicle body rigidity has been increased by the rear pillar and the wheelhouse, it can be effectively prevented from being damaged due to the impact of a side collision of the vehicle. Moreover, since the inflator is housed in the rear pillar, which is wider and more rigid than a front pillar, it is possible to minimize or effectively prevent damage to the inflator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Technical Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an occupant restraint system inwhich a side airbag is disposed in a folded state along an upper edge ofa door opening of a vehicle body, and the airbag is inflatable by a gas,generated by an inflator, when the vehicle is involved in a collision.Upon inflation, the side airbag is deployed into a curtain shape alongthe inner face of a side of an occupant compartment.

[0003]2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] A conventional occupant restraint system is known in, forexample, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 2000-33847 and11-235965. The above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-openNos. 2000-33847 and 11-235965 disclose arrangements in which the gasgenerated by an inflator is guided to the interior of an airbag via agas supply pipe such as a hose, a duct or a reinforcement liner tube.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When the gas supply pipe for guiding the gas generated by theinflator to the airbag is damaged by the impact of a side collision ofthe vehicle, the gas cannot be guided to the airbag, thereby preventingthe occupant restraint system from exhibiting its full function. In theabove-mentioned conventional systems, since the gas supply pipe extendsto a middle section, in the longitudinal direction, of a roof side rail,there is a problem that the gas supply pipe is susceptible to damage dueto the impact of a side collision.

[0006] The present invention has been achieved in view of theabove-mentioned circumstances, and it is an object of the presentinvention to effectively prevent the gas supply pipe for guiding the gasgenerated by the inflator to the airbag from being damaged by the impactof a side collision of the vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a first aspect ofthe present invention proposes an occupant restraint system thatincludes an airbag that is disposed in a folded state along an upperedge of a door opening of a vehicle body; an inflator that generates agas when the vehicle is involved in a collision, and a gas supply pipe.When activated, the gas inflates the airbag so that it is deployed intoa curtain shape along the inner face of a side of an occupantcompartment. In the system according to the invention, the front end ofa gas supply pipe, which extends from the inflator housed in a rearpillar to the interior of the airbag, is positioned in the rear of thefront end of a wheelhouse of a rear wheel.

[0008] In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, the front endof the gas supply pipe extending from the inflator housed in the rearpillar to the interior of the airbag is positioned in the rear of thefront end of the wheelhouse of the rear wheel. Therefore, the gas supplypipe can be positioned in an area in which the vehicle body rigidity hasbeen increased by the rear pillar and the wheelhouse, thereby minimizingor effectively preventing damage to the gas supply pipe due to theimpact of a side collision of the vehicle. Moreover, since the inflatoris housed in the rear pillar which is wider and more rigid than a frontpillar, it is possible to minimize or effectively prevent any damage tothe inflator.

[0009] Modes for carrying out the present invention are explained belowby reference to an embodiment of the present invention shown in theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIGS. 1 to 14 show a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an interior of the occupantcompartment of an automobile.

[0012]FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a state in whichan airbag of an occupant restraint system has been deployed.

[0013]FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the occupant restraint system inwhich the airbag has been deployed.

[0014]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the occupant restraintsystem.

[0015]FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross section along line 5-5 in FIG. 1.

[0016]FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross section along line 6-6 in FIG. 1.

[0017]FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross section along line 7-7 in FIG. 1.

[0018]FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross section along line 8-8 in FIG. 1.

[0019]FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross section along line 9-9 in FIG. 3.

[0020]FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross section along line 10-10 in FIG. 5.

[0021]FIG. 11 is a view taken in a direction of arrow 11 in FIG. 4.

[0022]FIG. 12 is a view taken in a direction of arrow 12 in FIG. 7.

[0023]FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of a rear part of thedeployed airbag.

[0024]FIG. 14 is a front view of an occupant seated in a front seat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, a door opening 14 for receiving a front door13 is formed between a front pillar 11 and a center pillar 12 on avehicle body side face, and a door opening 17 for receiving a rear door16 is formed between the center pillar 12 and a rear pillar 15. A roofside rail 18 (see FIG. 5) extends in the longitudinal direction of thevehicle body so as to provide a connection between the upper end of thefront pillar 11 and the upper end of the rear pillar 15, the roof siderail 18 defining the upper edges of the door openings 14 and 17,respectively, of the front door 13 and the rear door 16. An occupantrestraint system C is provided along the roof side rail 18. The occupantrestraint system C is provided on each of the left and right sides ofthe vehicle body. The occupant restraint systems C of the respectiveleft and right sides have a substantially identical mirror-imagestructure, and that provided on the right side of the vehicle body isdescribed below as representative thereof.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 2, when the vehicle is involved in a sidecollision or a rollover, if an acceleration equal to or greater than apredetermined value is detected, an airbag 21 of the occupant restraintsystem C is deployed downward into a curtain shape from the upper edgesof the door openings 14 and 17. The airbag 21 is provided to blockoccupants seated in front and rear seats from impacting against theinner side face of the vehicle body, that is, the front pillar 11, thecenter pillar 12, the rear pillar 15, a window pane 13 a of the frontdoor 13, and/or a window pane 16 a of the rear door 16.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, the airbag 21 extending in the longitudinaldirection of the vehicle body is formed by sewing with stitching 27 afirst base fabric 25 and a second base fabric 26 superimposed one on topof the other, the two fabrics having substantially the same shape (seeFIG. 9). The stitching 27 forms a plurality of (for example, thirteen)cells 28 and an upper communicating passage 29. The front end of a gassupply pipe 31, extending forward from an inflator 30 housed within therear pillar 15, is inserted into the upper communicating passage 29. Thelower ends of the thirteen cells 28 branching downward from the uppercommunicating passage 29 are closed. The portion of the gas supply pipe31 which is inserted into the upper communicating passage 29, istightened by means of a metal band 22 (see FIG. 13).

[0028] Positions of the airbag 21 that correspond to the rear side ofthe front pillar 11 and the rear side of the center pillar 12 areprovided with non-inflatable sections 21 b and 21 c where no cells 28are formed.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 13 in a magnified manner, since the diameter ofthe gas supply pipe 31 extending forward from the inflator 30 is smallerthan the diameter of the upper communicating passage 29 of the airbag21, the gas supply pipe 31 is positioned by means of pipe supports 27 aformed from parts of the stitching 27 defining the upper communicatingpassage 29, such that the opening at the tip end of the gas supply pipe31 is positioned at the center of the upper communicating passage 29. Inthis way, simply modifying parts of the stitching 27 of the airbag 21can position the gas supply pipe 31 relative to the upper communicatingpassage 29, thus eliminating special parts for the positioning tocontribute to a reduction in cost.

[0030] Provided along the upper edge of the airbag 21 are a plurality of(for example, five) impact absorbing member supports 21 a. An impactabsorbing member 33, which is a corrugated pipe, is integrated with theairbag 21 by means of the impact absorbing member supports 21 a. Asshown in FIG. 10, the impact absorbing member 33 is formed into abellows having a circular cross section by laminating a main body 33 amade of aluminum and inner and outer coverings 33 b and 33 c made ofpaper. The impact absorbing member 33 collapses by an external load toexhibit an effective impact-absorbing effect. A roof 34 is formed froman outer member 35, a center member 36, and an inner member 37. Therespective upper ends of the four impact absorbing member supports 21 a,on the rear side of the airbag 21, are each fixed to the inner member 37by means of two bolts 38 (see FIGS. 5 to 7). The front pillar 11 isformed from an outer member 39, a center member 40, and an inner member41. The upper end of the impact absorbing member support 21 a on thefront end of the airbag 21 is fixed to the inner member 41 by means oftwo bolts 38 (see FIG. 8).

[0031] Since the folded airbag 21 and the impact absorbing member 33 areintegrated in advance to form a module in this way, the mountingoperation therefor becomes easy in comparison with a case where they areindividually mounted in the vehicle body, thereby enhancing theoperational efficiency and the precision of assembly. Moreover, sinceboth the folded airbag 21 and the corrugated pipe impact absorbingmember 33 are flexible, they can be placed easily along the curved roofside rail 18.

[0032] As is clear from FIG. 4, the folded airbag 21 is housed within anairbag cover 42 formed from a nonwoven fabric. The airbag cover 42 ismade by sewing along the lower edges of a tube formed from a rectangularpiece of cloth, and includes, on the side facing the roof side rail 18,perforation slits 42 a that can be ruptured easily. The impact absorbingmember supports 21 a projecting from the upper end of the airbag 21,pass through openings 42 b formed on the upper face of the airbag cover42 and project upward.

[0033] As is clear from FIG. 5, a weather strip 46 that can make contactwith the rear door 16 (or the front door 13) is provided on the lowerend of the roof side rail 18, formed from an outer member 43, a centermember 44, and an inner member 45. The edge of a synthetic resin roofgarnish 47, positioned along the lower face of the roof 34, latches onthe edge of the weather strip 46 projecting from the lower end of theroof side rail 18 toward the occupant compartment. Theoccupant-compartment-facing lower face of the roof garnish 47 is coveredwith a skin material 49, and this skin material 49 is wrapped around theedge of the roof garnish 47 from the lower face side to the upper faceside. It is possible thereby to prevent the edge of the synthetic resinroof garnish 47 from splitting and scattering when it is exposed to animpact.

[0034] As is clear from FIGS. 4 and 6, the center pillar 12 extendingdownward from the roof side rail 18 is formed from an outside panel 65,a stiffener 66, and a center pillar inner portion 67. A front bracket 50is mounted extending from the inner member 37 of the roof 34 to thecenter pillar inner portion 67 of the center pillar 12. The frontbracket 50 is formed by bending a metal sheet; its upper part issuperimposed on the impact absorbing member support 21 a of the airbag,and fixed together to the inner member 37 of the roof 34 by means of twobolts 38, and its lower part is fixed to the center pillar inner portion67 of the center pillar 12 by means of two bolts 51.

[0035] Formed in the middle section of the front bracket 50 is aprojection 52 projecting toward the occupant compartment. A guidesurface 52 a formed on the upper face of the projection 52 faces thelower end of the folded airbag 21. Latches 53 a projectingly provided onthe inner face of an upper part of the center pillar garnish 53 engagewith two latching holes 52 b formed in the lower face of the projection52. Formed on the inner face of the center pillar garnish 53 are a largenumber of impact absorbing ribs (not illustrated) in order to absorb theimpact of a secondary collision to an occupant.

[0036] The upper part of the center pillar garnish 53 can thereby befixed to the center pillar 12 without employing a special clip, etc.and, moreover, the center pillar garnish 53 can be fixed more securelyin comparison with the case where a clip is employed. The lower edge ofthe roof garnish 47 is fixedly interposed between the top face 52 c ofthe projection 52 of the front bracket 50 and the inner face at theupper end of the center pillar garnish 53.

[0037] As is clear from FIGS. 4, 7 and 12, the rear pillar 15 extendingdownward from the roof side rail 18 is formed from an outer member 54, acenter member 55, and an inner member 56. A rear bracket 57 is mountedextending from the inner member 37 of the roof 34 to the inner member 56of the rear pillar 15. The rear bracket 57 has substantially the sameshape as that of the front bracket 50; its upper part is superimposed onthe impact absorbing member support 21 a of the airbag 21, and fixedtogether to the inner member 37 of the roof 34 by means of two bolts 38,and its lower part is fixed to the inner member 56 of the rear pillar 15by means of two bolts 58. Formed in the middle section of the rearbracket 57 is a projection 59 projecting toward the occupantcompartment. A guide surface 59 a formed on the upper face of theprojection 59 faces the lower end of the folded airbag 21.

[0038] A rear pillar garnish 61 is fixed to the inner member 56 of therear pillar 15 by means of a clip 60 and has on its upper end a flange61 a bending toward the outside of the vehicle body. Formed on the loweredge of the roof garnish 47 is a flange 47 a that abuts against theflange 61 a of the rear pillar garnish 61. The flange 47 a of the roofgarnish 47 has a plurality of (five in the embodiment) latches 47 bprojecting downward, and these latches 47 b engage with the reverse faceof the flange 61 a of the rear pillar garnish 61. Formed on the innerface of the rear pillar garnish 61 are a large number of impactabsorbing ribs (not illustrated) in order to absorb the impact of asecondary collision with an occupant.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 2, 8 and 11, a side edge of a windshield 63 issupported on the front face of the front pillar 11 via a rubber member62. A front pillar garnish 64 having an arc-shaped curved cross sectionis mounted between the rubber member 62 and a weather strip 48 providedon the rear face of the front pillar 11. The upper half of the frontpillar garnish 64 is hollow, and the folded non-inflatable part 21 b onthe front end of the airbag 21 and the front end part of the impactabsorbing member 33 are housed therewithin. Integrally formed on theinner face of the lower half of the front pillar garnish 64, whichhouses neither the airbag 21 nor the impact absorbing member 33, are alarge number of impact absorbing ribs 64 a for absorbing an impact.

[0040] Housing the impact absorbing member 33 within the upper half ofthe front pillar garnish 64 and forming the large number of impactabsorbing ribs 64 a in the lower half of the front pillar garnish 64 inthis way allows an impact absorbing effect to be exhibited over thewhole length of the front pillar 11 while housing the front end part ofthe airbag 21 within the front pillar 11. Moreover, since no impactabsorbing ribs 64 a are formed in the upper half of the front pillargarnish 64 housing the front end part of the airbag 21, when the airbag21 is deployed, the front pillar garnish 64 can be easily flexed, thusenabling the airbag 21 to be smoothly deployed and thereby reliablypreventing a part of the front pillar garnish 64 from splitting andscattering.

[0041] As is clear from FIG. 13, the tip end of the gas supply pipe 31,extending within the upper communicating passage 29 of the airbag 21, ispositioned in the rear of the front end of a wheelhouse 69 of a rearwheel 68. The tip end of the gas supply pipe 31 is spaced away from aspot directly above the front edge of the rear wheel well by a distancea.

[0042] Normal deployment of the airbag 21 may be inhibited when the gassupply pipe 31 is damaged upon a side collision of the vehicle. However,in the inventive arrangement as shown in FIG. 13, since the wheelhouse69 of the rear wheel 68 is positioned in the vicinity of the wide rearpillar 15, and since the tip end of the gas supply pipe 31 is positionedso as not to project beyond the front end of the wheelhouse 69, in orderto increase the rigidity of the vehicle body against deformation, damageto the gas supply pipe 31 can be minimized or effectively prevented upona side collision. Moreover, since the inflator 30 is housed within therear pillar 15, which is wider and more rigid than the front pillar 11,the effect of protecting the inflator 30 can also be enhanced.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, a front side-collision sensor 71 and a rearside-collision sensor 72 are connected to an electronic control unit 73,and when the electronic control unit 73 detects a vehicle side collision(or a vehicle rollover) based on signals from the two accelerationsensors 71 and 72, the electronic control unit 73 outputs an operationsignal to the inflator 30 so as to deploy the airbag 21.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 14, a seat belt system 75 for restraining anoccupant seated in a front seat 74 includes a lap belt 78 and a shoulderbelt 81. One end of the lap belt 78 is fixed to a seat frame 76, and theother end thereof passes slidably through a slit formed in a tongue 77.One end of the shoulder belt 81 is integrally connected to said otherend of the lap belt 78, and the other end of the shoulder belt 81 iswound up by a retractor 80 provided in a lower part of the center pillar12, via a slit guide 79 provided on the center pillar 12. When thetongue 77 is pulled so as to couple it to a buckle 82 fixed to the seatframe 76 in a normal situation, the shoulder belt 81 can be freely drawnout from the retractor 80, but when a front collision sensor (notillustrated) detects a vehicle front collision, the retractor 80equipped with a known pre-tensioner operates so as to draw in said otherend of the shoulder belt 81, thereby reliably restraining the occupantin the front seat 74.

[0045] Next, the operation of the above-mentioned embodiment isexplained.

[0046] When the front side-collision sensor 71 and the rearside-collision sensor 72 detect a vehicle side collision, the inflator30 operates on an instruction from the electronic control unit 73, andthe gas stored under pressure within the inflator 30 flows into thethirteen cells 28 via the gas supply pipe 31 and the upper communicatingpassage 29, thus inflating the thirteen cells 28. Inflating the airbag21 ruptures the slits 42 a of the airbag cover 42, and the airbag 21whose restraint has been released deploys downward.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 5, in the door openings 14 and 17 of the frontdoor 13 and the rear door 16, the lower edge of the roof garnish 47 ispressed downward due to the pressure of the deploying airbag 21, thusreleasing the engagement with the weather strip 46 to form an openingtherewith, and the airbag 21 deploys downward within the occupantcompartment through the opening so formed.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 6, at the position of the center pillar 12, thelower edge of the roof garnish 47 is pressed downward due to thepressure of the deploying airbag 21, thus releasing the engagement withthe upper end of the center pillar garnish 53 to form an openingtherewith, and the airbag 21 deploys downward within the occupantcompartment through the opening so formed.

[0049] Since the center pillar garnish 53 covering a side face, on theoccupant compartment side, of the center pillar 12 is fixed to the frontbracket 50 rather than to the center pillar 12, even when the upper partof the center pillar 12 is deformed relative to the roof side rail 18because of a vehicle side collision, there is little change in thepositional relationship between the center pillar garnish 53 and theairbag 21 supported in the upper part of the front bracket 50. Thisarrangement, together with secure fixing of the center pillar garnish 53to the front bracket 50 by means of the latches 53 a rather than by aclip, makes it difficult for the deploying airbag 21 to catch on theupper end of the center pillar garnish 53, thereby guaranteeing reliabledeployment of the airbag 21.

[0050] Moreover, since the deploying airbag 21 is guided obliquelydownward toward the occupant compartment along the tilted guide surface52 a of the projection 52 of the front bracket 50, the airbag 21 can bedeployed yet more smoothly while avoiding any interference with thecenter pillar garnish 53.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 7, at the position of the rear pillar 15, thelower edge of the roof garnish 47 is pressed downward due to thepressure of the deploying airbag 21, thus releasing the engagement withthe upper end of the rear pillar garnish 61 to form an openingtherewith, and the airbag 21 deploys downward within the occupantcompartment through the opening so formed. In this process, thedeploying airbag 21 is guided obliquely downward toward the occupantcompartment along the tilted guide surface 59 a of the projection 59 ofthe rear bracket 57. Therefore, the airbag 21 can be deployed smoothlywhile avoiding any interference with the rear pillar garnish 61.

[0052] Furthermore, since the position of the vicinity of the lower edgeof the roof garnish 47 is determined by clamping it from opposite sidesbetween the top face 59 b of the projection 59 and the flange 61 a ofthe rear pillar garnish 61, the two flanges 47 a and 61 a abut againsteach other without forming any step, thereby improving the appearance.Moreover, since the latches 47 b of the roof garnish 47 flex and easilydisengage from the flange 61 a of the rear pillar garnish 61 when theairbag 21 is being deployed, it is possible to reliably form an openingbetween the roof garnish 47 and the rear pillar garnish 61, throughwhich the airbag 21 is deployed. If the entire lower edge of the roofgarnish 47 were engaged with the reverse face of the upper edge of therear pillar garnish 61, it would become difficult to smoothly separatethe lower edge of the roof garnish 47 from the upper edge of the rearpillar garnish 61 when the airbag 21 deploys.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 8, at the position of the front pillar 11, therear edge of the front pillar garnish 64 is pressed downward due to thepressure of the deploying airbag 21, thus releasing the engagement withthe weather strip 48 to form an opening therewith, and the airbag 21deploys downward within the occupant compartment through the opening soformed.

[0054] When the acceleration caused by a side collision is equal to orless than a predetermined value, the occupant restraint system C doesnot operate, but when the impact causes a secondary collision between anoccupant and the lower edge of the roof garnish 47 facing the roof siderail 18 or an upper part of the front pillar garnish 64, not only doesthe corrugated pipe impact absorbing member 33 collapse, thus absorbingthe impact, but also the folded airbag 21 exhibits a function ofenhancing the impact absorbing effect. In this case, since the impactabsorbing member 33 is supported being in contact with the inner member37 of the roof 34 and the inner member 41 of the front pillar 11 (seeFIGS. 5 to 8), the impact absorbing member 33 reliably collapses bypressure from these inner members 37 and 41, thereby effectivelyabsorbing the impact of the secondary collision.

[0055] The pre-tensioner of the retractor 80 connected to the electroniccontrol unit 73 operates not only when there is a vehicle frontcollision but also when a vehicle side collision is detected by thefront side-collision sensor 71 and the rear side-collision sensor 72.Accordingly, prior to the deploying of the airbag 21 upon a vehicle sidecollision, the pre-tensioner applies a tension to the lap belt 78 andthe shoulder belt 81 of the seat belt system 75 so that they interferewith the airbag 21 deploying downward, thereby reliably preventing theshoulder belt 81 from being displaced from the shoulder of the occupant.

[0056] In accordance with the present invention, since the front end ofthe gas supply pipe, extending from the inflator housed in the rearpillar to the interior of the airbag, is positioned in the rear of thefront end of the wheelhouse of the rear wheel, the gas supply pipe canbe positioned in an area in which the vehicle body rigidity has beenincreased by the rear pillar and the wheelhouse, thereby minimizing oreffectively preventing damage to the gas supply pipe due to the impactof a side collision of the vehicle. Moreover, since the inflator ishoused in the rear pillar, which is wider and more rigid than a frontpillar, it is possible to minimize or effectively prevent damage to theinflator.

[0057] Although an embodiment of the present invention is explained indetail above, the present invention can be modified in a variety of wayswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1. An occupant restraint system in a vehicle, said occupant restraintsystem comprising: an airbag that is disposed in a folded state along anupper edge of a door opening of a vehicle body; and an inflator forgenerating a gas when the vehicle is involved in a collision, the gasinflating the airbag so that it is deployed into a curtain shape alongan inner side face of an occupant compartment, said inflator beinghoused in a rear pillar of the vehicle; and a gas supply pipe forrouting gas from the inflator to the airbag; wherein the gas supply pipehas a front end which is positioned in the rear of a front end of awheelhouse of a rear wheel.
 2. The occupant restraint system of claim 1,wherein at least part of the gas supply pipe is situated proximate therear pillar of the vehicle.
 3. The occupant restraint system of claim 1,wherein the front end of the gas supply pipe is substantially verticallyaligned with the front edge of a rear wheel of the vehicle.
 4. Anoccupant restraint system in a vehicle, said occupant restraint systemcomprising: an airbag that is disposed in a folded state along an upperedge of a vehicle door opening; and an inflator for generating a gaswhen the vehicle is involved in a collision, the gas operable to inflatethe airbag so that it is deployed into a curtain shape along an innerside face of an occupant compartment, said inflator housed in a rearpillar of the vehicle; and a gas supply pipe for routing gas from theinflator to the airbag; wherein at least part of the gas supply pipe issituated in a structurally reinforced rear area of the vehicle.
 5. Theoccupant restraint system of claim 4, wherein part of the gas supplypipe is situated proximate the rear pillar of the vehicle.
 6. Theoccupant restraint system of claim 4, wherein the front end of the gassupply pipe is substantially vertically aligned with the front edge of arear wheel of the vehicle.
 7. An occupant restraint system in a vehicle,said occupant restraint system comprising: an airbag that is disposed ina folded state along an upper edge of a door opening of a vehicle body;and an inflator for generating a gas when the vehicle is involved in acollision, the gas inflating the airbag so that it is deployed into acurtain shape along an inner side face of an occupant compartment, saidinflator being housed in a rear pillar of the vehicle; and a gas supplypipe for routing gas from the inflator to the airbag; wherein the gassupply pipe has a front end which is substantially vertically alignedwith a front portion of a rear wheel on the vehicle.
 8. The occupantrestraint system of claim 1, wherein at least part of the gas supplypipe is situated proximate the rear pillar of the vehicle.